Effects of hypesthesia on oral behaviors of the orthognathic surgery patient.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare orthognathic surgery patients with and without significant hypesthesia with respect to perceived problems with specific oral behaviors.


METHODS
Data from 116 patients 6 months after bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) and mandibular advancement were analyzed. Tactile sensation in the right and left mental nerve areas was determined using monofilaments and brush strokes (von Frey hairs). The right infraorbital region was used as a control. A difference of 450 mg of force between the control and test sites was considered significant hypesthesia. Patients rated their level of subjective problems with swallowing liquids or solids, smiling, spitting, kissing, speaking, eating, and drooling on a scale from 1 (none to mild) to 7 (extreme). A value of 5 or greater was considered significant impairment.


RESULTS
Hypesthesia was shown in 23 patients (19.8%) with the monofilaments and in 29 patients (25.0%) using brush stroke direction. In each of these two groups, a significant correlation was observed between hypesthesia and difficulty in chewing and kissing. No correlation was observed between any of the remaining seven oral behaviors and hypesthesia.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that only certain oral behaviors are affected by hypesthesia of the mental nerve.
Lemke
R R
RR
Department of Orthodontics and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78284-7910, USA.
Clark
G M
GM
Bays
R A
RA
Tiner
B D
BD
Rugh
J D
JD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D019186:Mandibular Advancement / Q000009:adverse effects; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008409:Mastication; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D013060:Speech; D014110:Touch; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries